clutter

How to Get the Family on Board When It’s Time to Declutter

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Decluttering is difficult enough when there is only one person involved. Bring in an entire family, and it can become a nightmare. Here are some ways that you can encourage your family to declutter together to create a beautiful home to live in.

Explain Why

It’s not enough to simply demand that your partner and children help you clean without giving any explanation. Talking about why you want to declutter is important, because it will help keep motivation when the actual work begins to get tedious.

Explain to your children that you wish to have an inviting home that they can invite their friends to more often, and that there will be more time for fun activities when everyone keeps on top of the cleaning duties. Remind them that decluttering old items leaves more room for new ones.

Get Everyone Involved

From young to old, there is something that can be done by everyone. Let the adults take care of any dangerous tasks, such as climbing the ladder to the attic to get more boxes and give out the high-energy tasks to older children. Let your little one’s sort through toys and pick out which ones they would like to keep and which ones they would prefer to toss.

Leave Out Young Ones If Necessary

Although it’s nice to get the whole family involved, there will be times when it is necessary to remove your younger children if your decluttering duty is turning into a heartbreaking drama. If your toddlers and preschoolers are having a difficult time entertaining the idea of giving away any of their things, or if they are unpacking items faster than you can get rid of them, it’s time to call in special help.

See if it is possible for your young ones to go to Grandma’s for the day, or if you can swap childcare with a friend who is looking for a day off sometime in the near future.

Keep It Positive

The amount of enthusiasm you will receive from your family can be influenced by the manner in which you bring up the idea. If you start barking orders and making threats, you can immediately say goodbye to any happy family time you were hoping to experience in these moments. However, if you stay positive and remain consistently encouraging to each family member, you can all enjoy the process together.

Use Rewards

You may not believe in bribes, but a little reward can go a long way. Let your kids know that when everyone has worked together and completed the task at hand, you will all go out for an ice cream. Or if you are hosting a garage sale in hopes of selling some of your items, give a percentage of the proceeds to your children in payment for their assistance and cheerful attitudes.

Decluttering is a necessity when raising a family. Aim to declutter your entire home at least once a year, to make room for what the next one will bring in. With a little enthusiasm and a lot of team spirit, you can motivate your family to get on board with decluttering.

When Did You Last Wear That?

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When it comes to clothing, most of us have far more than we really need. If you take a good, honest look through your closet, you will find that you have much more than you use. In fact, most people wear only a small percentage of their clothing over and over and neglect the rest.

Why You Should Declutter Clothing

Having too much of anything takes up not only physical space in your home, but mental space as well. When you are looking for something to wear, having too much clothing makes you feel like you are searching through endless piles of stuff and yet still cannot find something suitable. When you declutter, you will be able to quickly find outfits that you love. This will save you time and keep your stress levels low.

How Does It Make You Feel and Look?

As you are sorting through your clothing, think about how the item makes you feel. Do you look at it and feel excited to wear it? When it is on your body, does it make you feel and appear attractive and ready to take on the world?

Clothing is much more than a cover. It is a part of who you are, and how you feel in it is the image of yourself that you are presenting to the world. Keep only the clothing that makes you feel confident and causes you to be proud of who you are.

Are You Keeping It Out of Obligation?

Many of us are harboring clothing out of guilt, given to us by well-meaning friends and family. Unless someone knows your taste 100% of the time, clothing generally does not make an appropriate gift. Too often we are given an item and then feel stuck with it for an undisclosed amount of time, and we never quite feel right getting rid of it.

If you are keeping clothing, you hate just because you feel loyal to the person who gave it to you, go ahead and get rid of it. This will make room for items you love, and you won’t feel guilt every time you glance at it, knowing that it hasn’t been worn and will probably never be.

Have You Worn It in the Past Year?

A good rule of thumb is that anything not worn in the past year needs to go. The reason for the rule of a year is because certain items of clothing and accessories have particular yearly events that they are appropriate for, and it’s ok to keep a few of those special items.

Also, many locations have seasons that are very distinct in temperature. You will have clothing that you don’t ever wear in summer, but faithfully make use of every winter… or vice versa. If you didn’t wear it in the past year’s appropriate season, it is likely that this item is no longer needed, or that it no longer flatters who you have become.

Once you have made choices about what to get rid of, you can throw away any damaged items, sell a few select items and give away the rest to those in need. Organize what is left, and you will see what a difference it makes in your life when you have in your closet only what you need and love wearing. Enjoy your new organized closet and never search for hours for a lost item again.

 

How to Stop Being a Hoarder

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Hoarding happens when clutter gets out of control. Being a hoarder takes the joy out of life and can severely alter your quality of life as your numerous possessions spiral out of hand. Here are some ways to stop hoarding and start living the clutter-free life you desire.

Figure Out Why You Hoard

Everyone has a different reason they lean towards hoarding; therefore, each person will have a different motivation required in order to quit. Think back in your past. Have you always loved to keep things too long, or was there a certain point when the hoarding began?

Becoming a hoarder can happen very naturally. It can begin with a sincere desire not to waste, and to make use of what you have. It can begin with a love for shopping that gets out of control. It can begin with a tragic event and the loss of a loved one, and an eventual unwillingness to let go of any physical memories you have of them. Your “why” will determine your “how” when it comes to changing your ways.

Think of a Few Small Steps

You don’t have to completely give your home a makeover in an instant. Begin thinking of little ways you can change the home you live in, in order to slowly turn it into your dream home.

Take small steps, such as making a decision not to buy anything other than necessities such as food. If you do buy something, make a promise to yourself that you will get rid of at least ten other things before it comes through the door. Clean one section of your home at a time, even if it is only a desk or another small area.

Find Ideas That Inspire You

A little dreaming always helps you along with your goal of quitting hoarding. Save a folder on Pinterest with photos of minimalist homes that you love. Envision yourself and your family living there and think about how you might feel. Make a small binder of ideas you find in magazines, if you like. Just be careful not to go overboard with the clippings to the point where they are contributing to the mess.

Get Help If Necessary

There is no shame in seeking help if your hoarding goes beyond what is normal. Find an organizer who is skilled in helping hoarders reduce their clutter and organize their homes. Don’t be afraid to ask your friends for help, as they love you and are more than likely to be happy to help you step into your new, clutter-free life.

If you feel like you just cannot make the changes, seek a counsellor who is familiar with hoarding so that they can assist you in freeing yourself from the prison you’ve enclosed yourself in. Serious hoarding is more than just a bad habit and can be mentally crippling.

Being a hoarder can have a negative effect on every single area of your life. You can exchange this way of life for a clutter-free version if you wish. Take the necessary steps and turn your home into a haven that you always look forward to coming home to.

 

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